Silent firearm.



PATENTED FEB. 25, 1908.

H. P. MAXIM.

SILENT PIREARM.

APPLIOATION FILED MAR. 7. 1907.

i DINVENTOR. BY

f ma l TURA/EY.

WITNESSES:

' UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEroE.

HIRAM P.-MAXIM, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT.

SILENT FIREARM.'

. practically prevented and a further object ofthe invention is to rovide a device of this class that shall be se J-actuating; and a further object of the 'invention is to so control the passage or passages vfrom the breech chamber, or that part in which the explosive charge is ignited as to sto therefrom; and a further o ject of the invention is to provide means for so controlling such gases resulting from the ignition of the material from which the propelling force is obtained that their direction and amount of flow may be, thoroughly controlled.

Forms of devices in the use of which these Objects may be attained are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a top or plan view of a firearm embodying my invention, with parts broken away to show construction. Fig. 2 is a'view of a portion of the barrel of a i'irearm embodying another form of device, with parts cut away to show construction. '.Fig. 3 is a view in side elevation of a portion of a iirearm illustrating another form of device embodying the invention and with parts cut away to show construction. .As is well-known, the sudden release or escape from confinement of gases and the.

like produced by the ignitionof certain materials or vingredients used in explosive charges for firearms creates a detonating sound which may be heard atgreat distances and which also produces efects resulting in unpleasant sensations and often in injury. These sounds are objectionable for many reasons, among which are included the warning thus given of the firing of a gun and also the injurious effects and unpleasant sensations caused thereby. In order to prevent such objectionable results following the sudden escape ofthe gases I have provided means whereby the emission of the gases after ignition may be stopped and the direction Specification of Letters Patent.

Application led March '7|.1907. Serial No. 361.081.

the flow of gases 'and amount of flow controlled or regulated as desired.

While many different forms of devices for accomplishing this result-and embodying my invention may be employed, I have lsimply illustrated herein a few, and in the drawings the letter a denotes the stock of a firearm, as a rilie having the usual firing and loading mechanism including a hammer b and magazine c. The barrel 5 is provided forward of the breech chamber, or that part in which the projectile rests prior to dlscharge, with the means for stopping and also regulating or controlling the emission of the gases. In

the form of the device shown in Fig. 1\ the usual bore through the barrel opens into an enlargement 6 having a iston chamber 7 containing a piston 8. hile I have shown this enlargement as extending laterall at opposite sides of the barrel, it may be o dif-l ferent form than herein shown and disposed in any vosition. The piston 8 serves as a valve o the unbalanced species having an inlet port 9 o ening toward the inner end of the barrel an an outlet port 10 o ening into the mouth or muzzle of the barre The inlet port 9 is preferably greater in size than the outlet port 10, both of these ports, however, being of a size to permit the' assage of a projectile through the valve. he plston or valve 8 has a stem 11 lprojectin throughv the end wall of the cham er 7, an a spring 12 may be employed to assist in returnin the valve or piston to its initial position, an by initial position is meant that position assumed prior to the dischar e of the firearm. Any desired means of pac g the opening through which the stem 11 extends may be em loyed. The valves thus constructed wit out any attachments thereto and slidable in a direct line offer the maximum of simplicity in construction and certainty in operation, as, being unrestricted during .its movement, that is, free to follow its natural course or movement in a direct line, it meets with the least resistance to such movement except for the' pressure of the spring which may be employed to return the valve to its normal position. It is directly acted upon and operated by the pressure of gases from within the bore of theI barrel and is therefore extremely ac'curate and certain in operation.

The valve is open at one end, as at 13, and its edge may 'rest against any suitable stop,

Patented Een@ 25,1908.

- ber 7.

as a cap lewhich closes this end of the cham? A vent ort. 15 extends from the chamber within t e piston, and lateral vent ducts or 'ports 16 may be employed leading from the main port 15. An escape valve'17, in 'the form of the usual needle valve if desired, may be employed to regulate the outflow of gas.

In the o eration of the device the powder or like exp osive charge having been 'ignited in any usual manner, the gas caused by such ignition forces the projectile along the bore of the barrel, following closely thereafter. The projectile passes through the enlarged port 9 and through the outlet ort 10 `from which it is ejected at the muzz e of the barrel. The gases closely following the proj ectile and readily entering the enlarged ort 9 in the piston or valve and exerting t eir pressure within the latter, cause it to quickly move along the chamber 7-against thepressure of the spring and also of the air conined therein. The wall 18 thus promptly closes the passage into the muzzle 19 of the barrel, eifectually stopping the flow and preventing the escape of by far the greater portion of the gases at the muzzle.

The escape valve 17 may be entirely closed and the gases thus completely confined within the firearm. They .may be directed to any part of the device to perform any function that may be desired in the further operation of the firearm, or they may be allowed to directly escape, the ow during esca e being regulated by the escape valve 17. gs the gases are 'thus released from within the piston, or piston and bore of the barrel, the air which has been compressed in the chamber 7, assisted by the spring 12, will return the lpiston or valve to its initial position.

While I have shown the spring as a means of assisting in the movement of the valve, I do not consider it absolutely essential to the operation of the device.

The port 9 may be of any desired size and it is notI essential that the opening from the bore at the rear end of the barrelA into the piston or valve shall .be entirely closed in the movement of the valve. v

In the form of the device shown in Fig. 2 the valve is attached to the projectile. An enlargement 20 is employed in this form of the device having a chamber 21 through which the passage in the barrel extends.

The valve 22 is removably secured, to the projectile 23, preferably at its rear end. This valve is preferably formed of metal having certain resilient qualities and when the projectile is placed in position this 4valve is formed into cup-shape, as shown in dotted lines in said Fig. 2. The gases incident to the ignition of the explosivecharge actingupon this cup-shaped valve press the edges out closely against the wall ofthe barrel, thus effectually preventing the passage of the gases around the sides of the projectile and at the same time causing an engagement with the rifling of the barrel, insuring a turning motion to be given to the projectile.v

When the valve enters the chamber 21 the pressure of the gases causes it to suddenlyV expand. As the projectile passes through the mouth 24 at thel muzzle of the barreh this valve strikes the edges of the opening 25 out of the chamber 21 and freeing itself from the projectile closes said opening vagainst the outflow or escape of the gas.

An escape outlet 26 is formed through the wall of the chamber 21 through which the gases may now slowly escape. Aslide 27 or other equivalent device may be employed to close the end of the chamber, and by withdrawing this slide or otherwise opening the main entrance to the chamber 21 the valves may be readily removed.

` In the form of the device shown in Fig. 3 the barrel is provided in advance of that part in which the projectile rests just prior to ignition of the explosive material with ports 28 opening through the wall of the barrel. These ports may be relatively disposed in any desired manner and of such number and size to suit the requirements depending to, a great extent upon the size of the barrel a'nd the quantity of the explosive charge. In the form shown herein two rows of ports oppositely disposed are rovided. In this form of the device, as t e projectile passes along the barrel it forms a valve to impede the escape of the gases which, as soon as the ports 28 are opened, esca e through `such ports. Such a quantity -o the gases "thus escaping leaves a comparatively small quany It will be noted that my invention resides broadly `in means for completely stopping or otherwise obstructing the Vflow of gases from within the firearm after discharge of the projectile, such gases being confined in a chamber which may be separately formed, or which may be constituted in the barrel roper. lThis obstruction may consist of the projectile itself, vor of means especially contrived to'i effect such result, and any devices embodying the results thus set out will be considered asv coming within the scope and intent of the invention.

What I claim as my lnvention and desireI to secure by Letters Patent is 1. A irearm including arbarrel and iiring mechanism, and a sliding valve mounted upon said firearm and arranged to directly receive the pressure of the gases of discharge tol obstruct the bore in said firearm..

2. 'A firearm including a .barrel and firing mechanism, and a sliding valve mounte upon said firearm and arranged to directly' receivethe pressure of the Gases of the explo sive to close the bore of sai firearm.

3. A firearm including a barrel and firing mechanism, a piston valve operatively mounted on the firearm to slide on the arm and arranged to control the opening through the barrel, and means for admitting pressure of gas directly to said valve to operate it.

4. A firearm including a barrel having a chamber extending transversely of the. bore through the barrel, firing mechanism, and a valve operatively connected and mounted to slide in said transversely arranged chamber and arranged to be directly operated by the pressure of gas to close the bore through the barrel.

5. A firearm including a barrel having a chamber transversely arranged to the bore therethrough, firing mechanism, and a piston valve directly operated and movable in said transversely arranged chamber to close the bore through the barrel.

6. A firearm includ-ing a barrel having a chamber transversely arranged to the bore therethrough, firing mechanism, a piston Valve directly operated and movable in the transversely arranged chamber to close the bore through the barrel, and means for returning the valveto its normal position.

7. A firearm including a barrel having a cylindrical chamber transversely arranged to the bore therethrough, firing mechanism, and a valve fitting said transversely arranged chamber and directly operated to close the bore through the barrel. n

8. A firearm including a barrel, firing mechanism, and a chambered valve operatively mounted With respect to the barrel to restrict the floW of as therefrom.

9. A firearm inc uding a barrel having a chamber transversely arranged to the bore therethrough, firing mechanism, and a hollow valve movable in said chamber to close the bore through the barrel.

10. A firearm including a barrel having cylindrical chamber transversely arranged to the bore therethrough, firing mechanism, and

a chambered valve fitting said chamber and directly operated to close the bore through the barrel.

11. A firearm including -a barrel having a chamber transversely arranged to the bore therein, firing mechanism, and a hollow valve movable in saidchamber to close the bore in the barrel:

12. A firearm including a barrel having a chamber transversely arranged to the bore Y therethrough, firing mechanism, anda chamybered valve having openings extending into the transversely arranged chamber and adapted to register with the bore in the barrel. A

13. A firearm including a barrel having a cylindrical chamber transversely arranged to the bore therethrough,'firing mechanism, and a chambered piston fitting said transversely arranged chamber, -said piston having a port through its Wall adapted toregister With the bore through the barrel.

' 14. A'firearm including a barrel having a chamber transversely arranged to vthe bore therein, firing mechanism, a chambered member movable Within the chamber in the barrel and having an opening through its Wall, said opening being adapted to register with the bore through the barrel.

15. A firearm including a barrel having a chamber transversely arranged to the bore therein, firing mechanism, achambered member movable Within said transversely arranged chamber, said member having a port through its Wall adapted to register With the bore through the barrel, and means for returning said movable member to its normal position.

16. A rearm including a barrel having a chamber closed at its end and arranged transversely to the bore therethrough, firing mechanism, a chambered member movable in said chamber and having means to permit the passage of a projectile, the chamber in said chambered member opening out at one end thereof.

17. A' firearm including a barrel, firing mechanism, an enlargement upon the barrel forming a chamber, a chambered member movable in said chamber to obstruct the flow of gas from the barrel, a cap closing the chamber in said enlargement,` the chamber in the movable member being open at that end facing said cap.

18. A firearm including a barrel, firing mechanism therefor, an enlargement upon said barrel having a chamber, a cap closing one end of the chamber in the enlargement, means for graduating the flow of gas from the chamber, and a chambered member movable in the chamber in the enlargement to obstruct the fioW of gas from the barrel, said chamber in the movable member being open at that end facing said cap.

19. A firearm including a barrel having a chamber transversely arranged to the bore therethrough, a directly operated` piston having unrestricted movement in said'chamber to obstruct the bore through the barrel, and means to cause the piston to gradually return to its normal position.

20. A firearm including a barrel, firing mechanism, a directly operated member movable to obstruct the flow of gas from and operatively connected with the barrel, and means for regulating the escape of gas from the barrel.

21. A firearm including a barrel having a chamber transversely arranged to the bore therethrough, vfiring mechanism, a chambered valve movable in said chamber, the

'chamber in the valve being open at one end thereof, and said valve having an opening into the transversely arranged chamber.

22. A firearm including a barrel having-a chamber transversely arranged to the bore therethrough, ring mechanism, and a chambered valve having openings. extending throughits Wall and adapted to register with the bore in the barrel.

2 3. A irearm including a barrel having a chamber transversely arranged to the bore therein, iring mechanism, al ohambered eeaeee member having a port through its Wall and movable Within the chamber in the barrel, 10 said port being adapted to register With the bore through the barrel.

- HIRAM P. MAXM.

Witnesses:

' HENRY SATTLEER,

T. P. GILLIGAN.` 

